142 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Fez., 1902. 
ROTARY LAND MEASURE. 
Moved by the sight of a land measure which you illustrated some time ago 
(writes a correspondent of the Australian Field), 1 append a description of 
one which I use, and which I think is easier to use. Take a strip of wagon 
box iron, and make a hoop 8 feet 3 inches in circumference. A wooden hoop 
will answer the purpose if one large and strong enough can be secured. Putin 
spokes enough to make the wheel rigid; I used two 1-inch strips, four spokes, bored 
a 7-inch hole where they cross. Then by making an “‘ A” frame for handles I 
have a machine which looks something like an overgrown wheelbarrow minus 
the box. It measures land at the rate of a rod at two revolutions. I tie a 
white cloth on the wheel to count by. If you find it necessary to put in more 
spokes, bevel them to fit against the first four, and nail to first ones. 
A SOIL MAP. 
The United States Department of Agriculture is making a “soil map.” 
The map is to cover the whole of the United States, and the scale (10 acres) to 
be represented by one-eighth of an inch square. Each farmer, however, will be 
able to procure a chart of his own neighbourhood on a larger scale, so that he can 
arrange his planting in accordance with the suggestions which it conveys. In 
the first place, the soil map will show what kind of agricultural industry any 
given locality is best adapted for. It will make clear to the farmer in one 
locality, for instance, that he has the same soil that is used advantageously for 
certain purposes in other localities, assuming similar climatic conditions. The 
map will call attention to certain troubles of soils which have been investigated 
through chemical analysis.— Pastoralists’ Review. 
SIMPLE CURE FOR GAPES IN CHICKENS. 
Punch some holes in the bottom of an old tin bucket. Get a piece of glass 
large enough to cover the top. Puta hot coal in a saucer, and pour a drop or 
two of carbolic acid on it. Place the chickens in the bucket, and set the latter 
over the saucer. The fumes of the acid will rise through the holes. Do not 
put the bucket on till the first fumes have passed away. Watch the chickens. 
through the glass so that you may not smother them. If they seem overcome 
take the bucket off the saucer and remove the glass. One operation is usually 
sufficient. By doing this, you will lose no chickens from gapes. 
KEEPING BIRDS OUT OF FRUIT TREES. 
Here is a simple, inexpensive, and practical contrivance for keeping birds: 
out of fruit trees, which might answer for scaring away sparrows from paddy, 
parakeets from Indian corn, squirrels from cacao, custard apples, &. It 
consists in hanging a small mirror on the top limb of the tree. There should 
be at least 6 inches of string to the mirror, so that it can swing about when 
moved by the wind. Itis said that the flash of the mirror creates a scare. 
One or more cheap mirrors used thus on each tree are said to have answered 
well in the Philippines, and the birds do not grow familiar with the contrivance 
as in the case of scare crows. The experiment suggested is well worth trying. 
—Tropical Agriculturist, Ceylon. 
